Dealing With King/Drew and the Need for Answers
As a white suburbanite woman with health insurance and caring healthcare providers, my heart aches for the people with no choice but King/Drew Medical Center. Your series (“The Troubles at King/Drew,” Dec. 5-9) highlighted the myriad of problems besetting this facility, and it is obvious that there is no easily discernible solution.
However, what is apparent to me is that the politicians and community activists who should be protecting the health and welfare of their constituents are failing because of vocal minority leaders who shout that any attempt to change the hospital management is a racist attempt to deny minorities their rights. Until the county can honestly assess all the aspects of the quagmire, no solutions can be proffered. In my opinion it is far worse for leaders like Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles) to rant and rave and intimidate our government into continuing with the status quo than for a known bigot to assail minority institutions. At least when you see a hooded person burning a cross you know to take cover.
There are those who believe Waters when she lauds King/Drew, and therefore they unwittingly put themselves at risk.
Esther Youtan
Tarzana
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As a lifelong Southern California resident, I have been known to become irate with The Times on occasion, especially when I perceive that the worldview of the paper falls consistently on the side of political correctness to the exclusion of getting to the meat of the matter that is being reported. But this series was absolutely outstanding! You have really done a service to the region.
As the paper of record, The Times should continue to lead with more of these in-depth pieces and be at the forefront of making this megalopolis we call L.A. move forward once in a while. My sincere thanks to all of those involved in reporting this crucial story.
Shaune Steele
Hollywood
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We were sorry to see the portion of your article on King/Drew that focused on our respected colleague, Dr. Clarence Woods. Everyone in the orthopedic community knows Woods is a superb clinical surgeon and caring physician.
He has been a wonderful role model for the resident physicians he has trained. His training program has been fully approved for many years in the decade that he has been chief of orthopedics. Full approval of that program has been challenged only in recent months because of institutional problems far beyond the control of Woods. He is not the employer of, nor does he have administrative control over, other county employees. Nonprofessional county administrators have that responsibility.
Woods’ patients, residents he has trained and his colleagues all applaud him for his performance under extremely difficult conditions.
M. Mark Hoffer MD
Mark Wellisch MD
Los Angeles
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Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina says the entire county board should be embarrassed over the mess at King/Drew (Dec. 9). And well it should be. If board members had any professional pride/integrity they would resign for wasting taxpayer dollars and shut down the King/Drew complex before it kills and harms more people. Yet it is these kinds of political hacks who are always coming to the public for more tax increases of one kind or another. The fact is, they just don’t get it.
Chance Williams
South Pasadena
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No mention is made in your extensive coverage, editorials or in letters to the editor on the King/Drew hospital disasters of a possible remedy by adopting a single-payer, universal healthcare system.
This is the system approved by almost all other developed nations for up to half a century; none has a lack of access to healthcare reflected by the 45 million without health insurance and the millions more with inadequate healthcare in the United States. And this record of failed healthcare is in the richest, most technologically advanced nation in history.
Nick Seidita
Northridge
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Thanks for your series on the King/Drew Medical Center. The most important point of this story? Keep government out of healthcare!
Jeff Miles
Venice
